>> MAJOR SUPPORT FOR CAROLINA BUSINESS REVIEW PROVIDED BY COLONIAL LIFE PROVIDING BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES TO HELP THEM PROTECT THEIR FAMILY, THEIR FINANCES AND THEIR FUTURES.

HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY, THE PREMIER LIFE SKILLS UNIVERSITY, FOCUSED ON PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD AS IT IS GOING TO BE.

AND-- >> WHAT'S THAT SAID IN THE BOB DYLAN SONG?

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGEIN'.

THAT'S AN UNDERSTATE.

I'M CHRIS WILLIAM.

WELCOME TO THE MOST WIDELY WATCHED AND LONGEST RUNNING PROGRAM ON CAROLINA BUSINESS POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SEEN EACH AND EVERY WEEK ACROSS NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING AND IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED THIS OUR FIRST TIME BACK IN THE STUDIO IN ALMOST TWO YEARS.

WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

WE'RE ALSO EXCITED TO TALK TO LADIES IN LEADERSHIP, SPECIFICALLY THE LEADERS INVOLVED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE CAROLINAS.

THAT DIALOGUE STARTS NOW.

STAY WITH US.

ON THIS EDITION OF CAROLINA BUSINESS REVIEW, MOLLY SPEERMAN, SOUTH CAROLINA SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, AND KATHERINE TRUITT, NORTH CAROLINA SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION.

>> WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM.

WELCOME BACK TO A LIVE DIALOGUE.

THIS IS KIND OF CRAZY, ISN'T IT?

LADIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOUR HONORS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SUPERINTENDENT, I ALWAYS WANT TO SAY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

YOU ARE ALWAYS GRACIOUS ABOUT IT, SUPERINTENDENT.

MS. SPEERMAN, LET'S START WITH YOU.

EVERYTHING WE HAVE COME THROUGH THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS SEEMED TO MAKE PUBLIC EDUCATION ALMOST A HOT MESS.

WITH WE LOOK BACK FIVE YEAR FROM NOW, WHAT WILL BE CHANGED WHEN WE GET THROUGH WHAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH?

>> WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT.

I THINK WHEN WE LOOK BACK, THE BIGGEST CHANGES ARE GOING TO BE AROUND VIRTUAL EDUCATION FOR US.

IT REALLY FAST FORWARDED.

GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN BROADBAND EXPANSION, SO THAT WAS THE LEMONADE OUT OF THIS CATASTROPHE, THAT IT REALLY BROUGHT ALL OF OUR PEOPLE TO THE TABLE TO EXPAND BROADBAND ACCESS ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA TO FAMILIES AND THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WAS TO DO THAT SO THAT STUDENTS COULD HAVE ONLINE CAPABILITIES AND SO THAT'S REALLY BEEN A GOOD THING.

WE SAW OUR VIRTUAL SCHOOL THAT WE RUN THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE ACCESS WENT UP AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 56,000 STUDENTS TAKING A COURSE IN OUR PROGRAM WHICH PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WAS RUNNING SOMEWHERE AROUND 25,000.

ALMOST DOUBLE.

SAME WITH THE CHARTER PROGRAMS.

THEY'VE GROWN.

THE OTHER THING FOR US AS FAR AS THE ACADEMIC PIECE AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL PIECE IS REALLY HONING IN ON WHAT THE PRIORITY ACADEMIC STAND ARTDS.

FOR US IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE HAD BEEN KNOWING AND HAD FAILED TO DO REALLY MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT WE HAD SO MANY STANDARDS, WE DID NOT GO DEEP ENOUGH.

OUR TEACHERS CRIED OUT AND SAID YOU HAVE TO FIX THAT.

DURING THE FIRST SUMMER, WE WORKED TO PRIORITIZE OUR ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND SAY THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO TEACH.

NOT SO WIDE BUT REALLY, LET'S GO DEEP AND FOCUS ON THESE THINGS SO THAT STUDENTS CAN BE PREPARED AS THEY MOVE UP AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THAT AREA NOW MAKING SURE THOSE ARE ALIGNED TO OUR ASSESSMENTS BUT I THINK MORE FOCUSED INSTRUCTION AND THE USE OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING WILL BE THE THINGS THAT HAVE REALLY CHANGED FOR US AND OTHER THINGS AND I WILL LEAVE SOME FOR KATHRYN.

>> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR EXAMPLE, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE VIRTUAL PIECE AND THE LEGISLATURE HAS MANDATED THAT DPI DO A STUDY ON VIRTUAL LEARNING AND THAT WILL LEAD TO A POLICY IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT A STUDENT CAN SPEND IN VIRTUAL LEARNING AND ATTEND VIRTUAL ACADAMIES.

I THINK IT WILL BE VERY EASY, IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL TO FLIP BACK INTO THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THINGS AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.

I THINK THAT THIS PANDEMIC HAS REALLY HIGHLIGHTED HOW QUICKLY WORKFORCE CHANGES AND I THINK THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN THE MISMATCH THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATION THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE VERSUS THE JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT WAS A PROBLEM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC THAT'S BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO JUST GO BACK TO DOING THINGS THE WAY WE WERE BEFORE.

WE HAVE TOO MANY STUDENTS WHO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL BUT THEN DON'T GO ON TO GET ANY KIND OF POST-SECONDARY CREDENTIAL OR MARKETPLACE VALUE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON.

>> THAT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO THE PANDEMIC, THOUGH.

THAT'S PART OF THE DNA OF THE SYSTEM, ISN'T IT?

>> I THINK THAT THE GREAT RESERVATION HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THIS.

OUR WORKFORCE ISSUES HAVE BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THE MODE OF CHANGE THAT WE SAW BEFORE THE PANDEMIC DEFINITELY HAS-- YOU'RE RIGHT.

THE PANDEMIC HASN'T CHANGED THAT.

BUT AUTOMATION, AI, MACHINE LEARNING, ALL OF THAT IS CONTINUING TO SPEED UP CHANGE AND K-12 IS NOT KEEPING ONE THAT CHANGE.

>> LET ME PICK UP WITH THE IDEA THAT WE SEE AND MANY HOSPITALS DID THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AND COVID, BUT BUSINESSES ARE THIS WAY, TOO.

AND THAT'S THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT MODE.

AND TRIAGING IS THE BEST THING.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE PAST THE TRIAGE MODE, THAT YOU ARE DOING BUSINESS?

OR IS THIS-- >> WE HAD HOPED TO BE.

I THINK ALL OF US AS WE WORK FOR ACADEMIC RECOVERY PLANS, ALL OF OUR DISTRICT, EACH STATE SO SIMILAR.

OUR DISTRICTS PREPARED ACADEMIC RECOVERY PLANS AFTER WE REALLY ASSESSED AND SAW HOW FAR BEHIND AND HOW MUCH LEARNING NEEDED TO TAKE PLACE AND ACCELERATED.

SO WE HAD OUR RECOVERY PLANS READY TO GO WHEN SCHOOL STARTED THIS YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO BE A NORMAL YEAR.

IT HAS NOT BEEN NORMAL.

WHILE WE HAVE SCHOOLS OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK, BUT THE ILLNESS OF STAFF, OF BUS DRIVERS, OF STUDENTS, IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT SEMESTER.

SO LOTS OF THE PLANS AND INCONSISTENCY, HUH, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT'S THE RULE OF BEING A GOOD PARENT?

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BE CONSISTENT, BE CONSISTENT.

SAME IN EDUCATION, BE CONSISTENT.

>> YEAH.

>> IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO RUN A CONSISTENT PROGRAM.

WE'VE TRIED REALLY HARD AND SORT OF GOING BACK TO OUR FIRST QUESTION WITH YOU.

I THINK THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS THAT HAS -- THAT WE ARE IN TRIAGE IS THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE ARE HAVING AND NEED TO GIVE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR TEACHERS, OF OUR STUDENTS IS AN AREA THAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED WITH, BUT THE DYNAMIC NEED FOR THAT NOW AS OUR CHILDREN AND TEACHERS ARE COMING BACK TO WORK AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCH TRAUMA OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND DEALING WITH THAT WHERE IT USED TO BE A SIDE FUNCTION OF SCHOOLS NOW, IT HAS TO BE REALLY CENTRAL TO OUR WORK.

SO IT'S A NEW AREA THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND, WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH, BUT TO PROVIDE THAT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD TO DO BEFORE.

>> JUST TAKING A SIDEBAR ON THAT AND HOW DO YOU NOT GET COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED?

HOW DO YOU GET DISCOURAGED AND IT'S A BIG JOB, IT WAS A BIG JOB IN NORMAL TIMES, BUT AS MADAM SPEARMAN TALKED ABOUT, IT'S A BIGGER JOB EMOTIONALLY.

HOW DO YOU NOT GET DISCOURAGED?

>> I DO GET DISCOURAGED BUT I HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM AROUND ME WHO-- THEY LIFT ME UP EVERY DAY.

I ALSO SPEND TIME IN SCHOOLS AND THAT IS ALWAYS THE CURE FOR BEING DISCOURAGED.

MY SERVICE IS TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY CLASSROOMS AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE AND SEE THE BABIES AND HOW MUCH THEY LOVE ON THEIR TEACHERS.

I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING THAT IS VERY ENCOURAGING TO ME IS THIS PAST SUMMER WHEN WE HAD MANDATORY SUMMER SCHOOL FOR SCHOOLS HAD TO OFFER SUMMER SCHOOL.

VOLUNTEER FOR PARENTS TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN THERE AND 86% OF STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED SUMMER SCHOOL IN NORTH CAROLINA WERE IDENTIFIED AT RISK.

SO THAT REALLY SERVED THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEEDED TO BE SERVED BUT WHAT WAS EVEN MORE SPECIAL IS THAT WE THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE TEACHERS TO STAFF IT AND WHAT WE HEARD AND EVERYWHERE WE THAT WE WENT WAS YES.

WE HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO-- TEACHERS SAID I'M TIRED, BUT I NEED TO SEE MY KIDS THROUGH.

THIS IS LIKE AN EXTENSION TO THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND I NEED TO COME ALONGSIDE MY CHILDREN AND SAY WITH THEM UNTIL SUMMER SCHOOL ENDS.

IT WAS JUST AMAZING.

>> WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO TEACHERS AND WORKER SHORTAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WANT TO COME BACK TO SOMETHING YOU ALSO SAID, THE IDEA OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND HOW DURING THE 2021 CALENDAR YEAR ALMOST '19-'20 CALENDAR YEAR THERE WAS A LOT OF HAND WRINGING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

ON THE UNIFORM COURSE WAS GRAVELY CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

ARE YOU CONCERNED NOW, LOOKING BACK ON IT AND WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TO CATCH KIDS BACK UP?

>> I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED AND FOR US, I'M GOING TO GUESS MAYBE IT'S THE SAME IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT FROM THE INTERIM ASSESSMENTS THAT WE HAVE DONE WHICH ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW, QUICK TURNAROUNDS, THE ASSESSMENTS ARE FORMATIVE AND INTERIM ASSESSMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IT LOOKS TO, TO US, THAT OUR A AND B STUDENTS, THE KIDS WHO ARE HIGHLY MOTIVATED HELD THEIR OWN.

THEY HAD THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEEDED IF THEY WERE VIRTUAL OR THEY WERE BACK IN SCHOOL FACE TO FACE, AND THEY WERE GETTING THAT HELP FROM THE CERTIFIED TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM.

BUT THE CHILDREN WHO WERE ALREADY STRUGGLING, OUR C, D, F, STUDENTS WHO WERE ALREADY BEHIND, WHO LIVED IN-- A LOT OF THEM IN POVERTY, MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AFRICAN-AMERICAN, HISPANIC COMMUNITIES WHERE THE PANDEMIC REALLY HIT THEIR FOLKS THE HARDEST, THOSE STUDENTS WERE THE ONES WHO WERE AT HOME VIRTUALLY WHO PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT AND MAYBE NOT EVEN THE REALLY GOOD BROADBAND ACCESS LIKE THEY SHOULD.

THEY HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED.

AND WE'RE SEEING THEM WHERE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN A YEAR BEHIND NOW, A YEAR AND A HALF, UP TO TWO YEARS BEHIND.

SO TIME ON TASK IS THE WAY TO FIX THAT.

HAVING THEM WITH THEIR RIGOROUS EXPECTATIONS AND AT THE SAME TIME KEEPING THEM ENGAGED.

IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO DO.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOVER THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE OF SUMMER SCHOOL, EXTRA TIME ON TASKS, AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES, MORE INTERVENTIONS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO FIX THISSISH.

BUT I AM VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT WHEN I SEE THOSE ASSESSMENTS.

>> DO YOU THINK STUDENTS ARE GOING TO RECOVER?

>> I THINK THAT WE ARE JUST NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF LEARNING WHAT THE TRUE IMPACT OF SCHOOL CLOSURES IN THIS PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN.

NORTH CAROLINA WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE STATE BOARD NEXT WEEK-- I'M SORRY, IN MARCH, FIRST WEEK OF MARCH-- >> DPI?

>> YEAH, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION WILL PRESENT TO THE STATE BOARD A REPORT ON LEARNING LOSS SPECIFIC TO NORTH CAROLINA'S CHILDREN.

RESEARCH DONE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND ALONGSIDE OF THAT, AS SUPERINTENDENT SPEARMAN MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'RE JUST NOW GETTING A HANDLE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC AND ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN POVERTY.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING STORIES FEELING ISOLATED FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THAT SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED, THAT THEY WERE ISOLATED IN THEIR COMMUNITY OR ISOLATED IN THEIR HOME, AND SO I DO THINK THAT WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO IN TERMS OF REALLY DRILLING DOWN TO SEE WHAT THE SPECIFIC LINGERING IMPACTS WILL HAVE BEEN IN ADDITION TO THE ACADEMICS.

I AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT OF A YEAR OR TWO BEHIND.

I THINK THAT'S-- WE'RE LOOKING AT -- OUR DATA IS GOING TO SHOW GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR STUDENTS BY MODE OF INSTRUCTION.

WE HAVE A CURRICULUM STUDENTS WHO DID FACE TO FACE-- BECAUSE IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT ACROSS THE STATE.

DID STUDENTS FACE TO FACE DO BETTER THAN HYBRID MODEL?

>> IS THERE A SNEAK PEEK ABOUT THE FINDINGS YOU WILL REPORT?

>> NO.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT FINISHED YET.

I WILL CERTAINLY SEND YOU A COPY.

>> PLEASE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS WILL BE OF THESE KIDS HAD THEY ADVANCE QUICKLY OR DON'T, WHEN YOU LOOK OUT FIVE AND TEN YEARS, WHAT'S THE KNOCK-ON EFFECT TO THE LOST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF LAST YEAR?

>> WHO KNOWS?

IT'S HARD TO PREDICT.

I THINK WE HAVE GOT TO REALLY CONCENTRATE ON ENGAGING THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> DO THEY WANT TO BE ENGAGED?

>> SO I-- SURE.

THERE'S NOT A PARENT OR A GRANDPARENT I EVER MET THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEIR CHILD TO EXCEED.

I WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK STORY.

A TEACHER TOLD ME THIS OR A COACH AND THE SUPERINTENDENT ASKED HIM, THIS IS A VERY RURAL AREA.

I WON'T IDENTIFY.

BUT WE GOT TO GO KNOCK ON DOORS.

WE'VE GOT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE THESE FOLKS TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL.

THIS WAS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER, 80 YEARS OLD, WHO WAS TAKING CARE OF FIVE GRANDCHILDREN.

SHE WAS RAISING THOSE CHILDREN AND MS. SMITH, YOU KNOW, YOUR KIDS NEED HELP.

OH, YEAH.

THEY'RE DOING THIS WORK ON COMPUTERS, BUT WHAT DO YOU DO IF THEY NEED HELP?

I CAN'T HELP THEM.

SEND THEM BACK TO SCHOOL.

WELL, IF I SEND THEM BACK TO SCHOOL AND THEY BRING THE VIRUS HOME AND I GET SICK AND PASS AWAY, WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM?

THAT WAS THE FEAR.

THAT WAS THE FEAR.

AND IT WASN'T A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING BUT THE REAL FEAR OF THE VIRUS.

WE'VE GOT TO REALLY CONTINUE AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOVER FROM THIS IN ONE YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO OR THREE YEARS, I THINK.

I THINK WITH EXTRA WORK TIME ON TASK, AS I SAID BEFORE, DEDICATED TEACHERS WORKING WITH THOSE FAMILIES SO WE CAN BRING THEM FORWARD.

I HOPE IT WON'T BE A LIFETIME IMPACT.

I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN RECOVER, BUT I THINK IT MAY TAKE AN EXTRA YEAR OR TWO WITH SOME OF THESE CHILDREN TO GET THEM THERE.

SOME KIDS, ARE GOING TO BE FINE.

>> AS YOU SAID BEFORE-- >> AS I SAID BEFORE, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONCENTRATED EFFORT AND FOR US, MOST OF IT IS OUT IN OUR RURAL AREAS WHO ALREADY FEED EXTRA HELP.

>> SUPERINTENDENT TRUITT, AS YOU TRY TO ASSESS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE, WHAT THE MEASURE IS, WHO NEEDS WHAT, ARE THESE THE TOOLS THAT YOU HAVE USED FOR EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY?

DO THOSE STILL APPLY?

HAS THAT CHANGED?

>> THAT'S A TOPIC.

>> IT'S NOT A PLANT BY THE WAY.

[LAUGHTER] >> WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL, AS DOES SOUTH CAROLINA.

WE HAVE A STATE ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL AND A FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL.

IN NORTH CAROLINA, THEY'RE ALL THE SAME AND THAT ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL IS AN ALGORITHM THAT TAKES 80% ACHIEVEMENT, IN OTHER WORDS, HOW TO DO IN HIGH STAKES AND GROWTH.

HOW FAR DID A TEACHER MOVE A STUDENT FROM HERE TO HERE.

80% ACHIEVEMENT AND 20% GROWTH AND IT SPITS OUT A GRADE.

THAT'S HOW WE MEASURE QUALITY.

I RAN MY CAMPAIGN, ONE OF MY CAMPAIGN HOT TOPICS WAS CHANGING THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL.

THAT WAS PRE-PANDEMIC.

IT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE TODAY.

WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DEFINE SCHOOL QUALITY SOLELY ON THOSE TWO MEASURES.

>> DO YOU TRUST THE INK INTEGRITY OF THAT MODEL ENOUGH THAT WILL GUIDE YOU GOING FORWARD?

>> THE INTEGRITY OF THE MODEL I LIKE OR THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE?

>> BOTH ACTUALLY.

>> THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IT HAS INTEGRITY IN ITS OWN WAY, BUT IT'S NOT ADEQUATE.

IT'S NOT ADEQUATE WHEN WE HAVE THE HIGH NUMBERS OF STUDENTS WE DO AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S AN 87% HOPE OF GRADUATION THAT ONLY 31% OF STUDENTS ARE OBTAINING MARKETPLACE VALUE BY THE TIME THEY'RE 24.

>> IS THAT A REAL-TIME STATISTIC OR FROM TWO YEARS AGO?

>> THAT WAS PRE-PANDEMIC.

SO IT'S PROBABLY WORSE NOW.

>> YEAH.

>> ONLY 23% OF KIDS IN NORTH CAROLINA GET A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE BY THE TIME THEY'RE 24 YEARS OLD.

SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL THAT MEASURES, YES, THAT YOU MAKE THE GRADES BUT OTHER THINGS AS WELL.

IS A SCHOOL CONCERNED THAT STUDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COLLEGE AND CAREER PROMISE, OR THEY CAN TAKE FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSES WHILE THEY'RE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

ARE THEY ENGAGING IN AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING TO HELP KIDS GET CAUGHT UP AT ANY GRADE LEVEL AND WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY-- >> THAT HAS TO BE THROUGH THE ROOF.

>> YES.

AND PARENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS SHOULD BE PART OF SCHOOL QUALITY AS WELL.

>> SECRETARY-- SUPERINTENDENT SPEARMAN.

WOW.

>> IT'S OKAY.

>> SAME QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE NOW THE ROOMS AT YOUR BACK, SO TO SPEAK, SEE, THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO REDEFINE WHAT QUALITY EDUCATION IS?

DO YOU HAVE THAT NOW?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SAME SITUATION.

WE HAVE ONLY SIX PERCENT OF OUR 9 TWHRIEW 12 STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE A COMPLETER.

THAT MEANS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE CTE PROGRAM, CAREER TECHNOLOGY, WORKING ON A CREDENTIAL, WHICH THAT'S GREAT, BUT WE NED TO IMPROVE ON THOSE NUMBERS SO MORE ACCESS, MORE UNDERSTANDING BY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS OF WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT AND WHY WE NEED TO PUSH OUR CHILDREN TOWARD FINDING THAT PATHWAY THAT KEEPS THEM ENGAGED AND WE KNOW WHEN WE CAN DO THAT WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS F THEY GET INVOLVED IN THE CAREER TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM, OUR GRADUATION RATE GOES FROM THE MID-'80sTO 95%.

THEY WILL GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.

NOT ONLY DO THEY GRADUATE, THEY GRADUATE WITH A CREDENTIAL IN HAND AND CAN MOVE INTO THE WORKFORCE OR POST-SECONDARY TRAINING IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA.

SO FOR US, IT'S ABOUT ENHANCING THOSE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE.

MAKING MORE ACCESS FOR RURAL STUDENTS AND AGAIN, BACK TO THE OLD DISTRICTS GET OUT OF THIS IDEA THAT YOU'RE COMPETING WITH THE NEIGHBORING DISTRICT OR SCHOOL, BUT YOU'RE SHARING YOUR SERVICES.

IF YOU HAVE A PROGRAM HERE AND A STUDENT IN THE NEIGHBORING DISTRICT CANNOT GET, ALLOW THEM TO COME AND TAKE PART.

SO WE STARTED TO SEE THAT KIND OF COOPERATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PARTICULARLY IN OUR RURAL AREA.

>> NOT TO PUT WORDS IN MOUTH, MADAM SUPERINTENDENT, BUT YOU INTENTIONALLY HAVE BEEN CONSOLIDATING AND SUGGESTING CONSOLIDATION AMONG SCHOOLS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AS PART OF OUR ABBEVILLE Vs. SOUTH CAROLINA SETTLEMENT, THE RULING SAID, RURAL DISTRICTS, YES, WE BELIEVE THE STATE NEEDS TO MORE MONEY IN YOUR AREAS, WHICH THEY HAVE DONE.

BUT YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS AND SO WHEN I WAS ELECTED IN 2015, WE DID AN EFFICIENCY STUDY ON DISTRICTS BY THE ALVAREST COMPANY AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME BACK, RURAL DISTRICTS, YOU'VE GOT TO START SHARING SERVICES.

YOU'VE GOT TO START WORKING TOGETHER.

IT'S NOT A COMPETITION BETWEEN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE NEXT.

IT'S ABOUT ACCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS AND GIVING THEM THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY NEED.

SO I'M REALLY PROUD TO SAY IN MY EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE AS OF JULY 1 OF THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE 14 DISTRICTS NOT ONLY SHARE SERVICES BUT CONSOLIDATE THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS INTO ONE DISTRICT.

SO IT'S NOT IMMEDIATE CHANGES, BUT I THINK FOR THE FOUNDATION AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THOSE AREAS WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THOSE TYPE.

>> WE HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.

SUPERINTENDENT TRUITT, IS THAT A TACTIC FOR NORTH CAROLINA TO ENCOURAGE AND LEAD CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS?

>> NO.

I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

>> SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

>> NO THAT'S NOT ON THE RADAR RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AND WHAT I TALK ABOUT FREQUENTLY IS WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS THAT THEY'RE ALL OUR KIDS.

>> RIGHT.

>> THEY'RE ALL OUR KIDS.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE-- AND WE DO HAVE THIS IN SOME DISTRICTS, THEY DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF THIS.

SCHOOL LEADERS WORKING WITH LOCAL PRINCIPALS, PRIVATE SCHOOL FOLKS WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

HOME SCHOOL FAMILIES GETTING SERVICES FROM THE SCHOOL.

THEY'RE ALL OUR STUDENTS AND IT'S VERY UNUSUAL THAT A STUDENT WOULD NOT AT SOME POINT IN THEIR K-12 JOURNEY NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY EITHER HOME SCHOOLED AND THEN THEY GO ON TO A SCHOOL OR THEY GO FROM A CHARTER SCHOOL TO A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL SO IT'S ALL PART OF THE SAME ECO SYSTEM.

>> WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO UNPACK THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SCHOOL VIOLENCE.

WE DEPART TALK ABOUT TEACHER SHORTAGES, WORKFORCE, ET CETERA.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT.

KNEW, BOTH LADIES, FOR BEING HERE.

AND NEXT WEEK, WE WILL HAVE PART TWO OF THIS DIALOGUE AS WE UNPACK EVEN MORE.

WE HOPE YOU STAY WITH US.

AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THIS PROGRAM YOU CAN ONLINE.

ANY PAST PROGRAMS AT CAROLINABUSINESSREVIEW.ORG.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, I'M CHRIS WILLIAM.

STAY SAFE AND THANK YOU.

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